INTRODUCTION: In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW), a 485millionprogramtoreduceobesity,tobaccouse,andexposuretosecondhandsmoke.CPPWawardeesimplementedevidence−basedpolicy,systems,andenvironmentalchangestosustainreductionsinchronicdiseaseriskfactors.Thisarticledescribesshort−termandpotentiallong−termbenefitsoftheCPPWinvestment.METHODS:Weusedamixed−methodsapproachtoestimatepopulationreachandtosimulatetheeffectsofcompletedCPPWinterventionsthrough2020.Eachawardeedevelopedacommunityactionplan.Welinkedplanobjectivestoacommonsetofinterventionsacrossawardeesandestimatedpopulationreachasanearlyindicatorofimpact.WeusedthePreventionImpactsSimulationModel(PRISM),asystemsdynamicsmodelofcardiovasculardiseaseprevention,tosimulateprematuredeaths,healthcarecosts,andproductivitylossesavertedfrom2010through2020attributabletoCPPW.RESULTS:Awardeescompleted732.4 billion (in 2010 dollars) in discounted direct medical costs, and $9.5 billion (in 2010 dollars) in discounted lifetime and annual productivity losses through 2020.
CONCLUSION: PRISM results suggest that large investments in community preventive interventions, if sustained, could yield cost savings many times greater than the original investment over 10 to 20 years and avert 14,000 premature deaths